MySource:Robinca/Transcription of the Last Will and Testament of Frederick Dorrien, Merchant of London

Transcription notes: where there are words (or parts of a word) I have been unable to decipher, I have replaced them with _____. Where a word is surrounded by ^__^, this indicates that the word in question in the original was added in the margin to be understood as meant to be where a ^ appears in the main body of text. I have attempted to adhere to the original spelling and capitalization of words – though in some instances I may be guessing at a word – but only if I am reasonably sure of it based on other examples elsewhere in the will. There is, in fact, a fair bit of repetition contained therein! And finally I have taken the liberty of adding paragraphs that do not exist in the original – just to make it a little easier to read.

In the Name of God Amen
I Frederick Dorrien of London Merchant being of sound and disposing mind and memory Blessed be Almighty God for the same I do hereby make ordaine publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in writing in manner and form following (that is to say) Imprimis I surrender my Soule into the hands of Almighty God who gave it hoping and assuredly believing that through the ____ death and mediation of my Blessed Saviour to obtaine full and free pardon and remission of all my Sinns my body I commit to the Earth to be devoutly yett privately buryed in the Lutheran Church of the holy Trinity in Trinity Lane London att the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named And as to such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I do hereby give devise and bequeath the same as follows Imprimis my Will is that all my just debts and ___ all ________ be fully paid and satisfied by my Executor herein after named
Item I give unto my Nephew John Lewis Dorien the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid him within twelve months after my decease Item I give unto my Sister Anna Margaretta Dorien widow Plumer in case she shall be liveing att the time of my decease the sume of one hundred pounds Butt in case she shall nott be liveing att the time of my decease then I give devise and bequeath the said legacy of one hundred pounds unto such daughter or daughters of the said Anna Margaretta widow Plumer as shall be then liveing share and share alike
Item I give devise and bequeath unto the Elders and Churchwardens or Consistory of the said Lutheran Church of the holy Trinity in Trinity Lane aforesaid the sum of two hundred pounds In Trust that they place the same out att interest or government or other good Security and out of the interest and produce thereof that they the said Elders Churchwardens or Consistory from time to time yearly pay and distribute the sume of three pounds unto and amongst the poor pensioners belonging to the said Church (that is to say)the sume of thirty shillings att every Easter yearly and the remaining thirty shillings att every Christmas yearly and as to the remainder of the interest and produce of the said two hundred pounds In Trust to dispose of the same for the use of the said Church as they from time to time shall think fit ______
Item I do hereby direct my Executor to pay the sume of Ten pounds to the said Elders Churchwardens or Consistory for my Buryall in the said Church being the usuall and accustomed price
Item I do hereby give and devise to my said Executor hereinafter named the sume of Five hundred pounds In Trust that he place the same out on Government or other good Security as he in his discretion shall think fit and that from time to time he pay the interest and product thereof half yearly unto the widow ¿Oelgeart///atta Wottstein? for and during her naturall life and from and after her decease In Trust to pay the same unto and among all my Children and their Representatives share and share alike
Item I hereby give devise and bequeath unto my son and Executor Liebert Dorrien herein after named the sume of Two hundred pounds for his trouble and pains in the Execution of the Trusts contained in this my Will And my Will and meaning is And I do hereby declare that he shall nott be charged or chargeable with any loss or losses Butt only in case of his owne wilfull default or neglect And further that in Case any such loss or losses shall so involuntarily happen the same shall be born and sustained by such person or persons to whom such legacy is given or which such loss shall fall and nott by my said Son and Executor
And where a great part of my Estate is already out att interest or personall Security which I approved of and ____ _____ to be good Security I do therefore hereby declare that my Executor hereinafter named may ____ thos __ such Securities for the benefit And att the hazard of the severall legatees mentioned in this Will to whom I have in any part thereof directed such legacies to be placed out att interest my said Executor appropriating sufficient of such moneys so already outstanding on Security as aforesaid to each particular legacy and giving notice thereof to the legatees respectively And my Will is that in case any loss should happen thereby or by any of such outstanding debts that the same shall be borne by the respective Legatees to whom the same shall be appropriated and nott by my Executor And I do hereby further direct will and ordaine that in case any difference or dispute shall arise on the Construction of this my will or otherwise in relation to any part thereof whereby any such in law or Equity shall be brought or ______ against him in order to settle controvert or ______ any part of this my Will the Costs and charges of such suite or suites shall be bound paid and sustained out of the residuary part of my Estate so that each party intitled to any share thereof shall beare and pay an equall and proportionable part of such Costs charged and dep______ occasioned thereby to him
And whereas I am intitled to a house in Hambrough wherein my son in law Charles Halsey now resides subject to a mortgage thereon my will and desire is that the same shall nott be disposed of as long as my said son in law ____ or of my other Sonns in Law shall think fit to live therein they paying the usuall rent to my Mortgage and other incident charges ... to go with the residuum of my Estate whether ____ or personall or wheresoever the same shall lye or be whether in this Kingdome or _____ where in parts beyond the ____
I give devise and bequeath thereof in manner and forme following (vizl) Whereas I have now five Children living two whereof I have advanced in the world (vizl) Agatha the wife of Charles Halsey and Ann the wife of Abraham Boetefeur to whom I have paid fortunes to their husbands as appeare by my Entries in my books of account my Will and meaning is that my other Children shall in the first place be paid the like sume or sumes out of the said residuum of my said Estate so that all of my said ffive Children may be and stand all on the same Equall foote ^with^ the others to whom I have already advanced or shall att any time hereafter advance to any of them as shall appeare by my said books or any Entries I shall make or cause to be made therein to be secured and paid them as hereinafter is mentioned and as to the remainder of my said Estate my Will and meaning is that the same shall be divided by my Executor hereinafter named in five equall parts and shares And as to one ffifth part thereof my will is
And I do hereby give devise and bequeath the __________ sume of Two Thousand pounds to my Executor hereinafter named in Trust for my daughter Agatha Halsey that he place the same out att interest in his owne name in Government or any other good security as he shall think proper or continue the same or such securities as shall be outstanding att the time of my decease but in Case he shall alter the same then to be with the good likeing of the said Agatha my said daughter attested under her hand in writing in the presence of two or more reputable witnesses And that my said Executor from time to time pay the interest and produce thereof into the hands of my said daughter for her sole and separate use independent of and nott subject to the Controul of her said husband for and during the term of her naturall life And from and after her decease that he pay the interest and produce thereof unto such Child or Children of my said daughter who shall be liveing at her decease in equall proportions until they and each of them shall attain their age of Twenty one years or be marryed and when either of them shall attain the said age of Twenty one years or be marryed then in trust to pay the share and proportion of such Child to him or her respectively as they shall so attaine their respective ages or be marryed but in case that none of the said Children shall be liveing att the decease of my said daughter then I give devise and bequeath the said principall sume of Two thousand pounds to the survivors of my Children to be divided between them share and share alike
And as to the residue of the said one ffifth after deducting the said two thousand pounds as aforesaid I do hereby give devise the same to my Son in Law Charles Halsey and his wife and their assigned And as to one other ffifth part or share of the residue of my said Estate my will and meaning is
And I do hereby devise and bequeath thereout the sume of Two thousand pounds to my Executor herein after named in Trust for my daughter Ann the wife of Abram Boetefeur that he place the same out att interest in his owne name on Government or other Security or continue the same in the manner in the former legacy of Ann my said daughter attested under the hand in writing in the presence of two or more reputable witnesses And that my said Executor from time to time pay the interest and produce thereof into the hands of my said daughter for her sole and separate use independent and nott subject to the Controuls of her said husband for and during the terme of her naturall life and from and after her decease that he pay the interest and produce thereof unto such Child or Children of my said daughter who shall be believing at her decease in equall proportions until they and each of them shall attain their age of twenty one yeares or be marryed then in Trust to pay the share and proportion of such Child to him or her respectively as they shall so attaine their respective ages or be marryed but in case that none of the said Children shall be liveing at the decease of my said daughter then I give devise and bequeath the said principall sume of Two thousand pounds to the Survivors of my Children to be divided between them share and share alike and as to the residue of the said one ffifth after deducting the said two thousand pounds I do hereby devise and bequeath the same to my Son in Law Abraham Boetefeur and his wife and their assigned
And as to one other ffifth part or share of the residue of my said Estate my will and meaning is And I do hereby devise and bequeath thereout the sume of Two thousand pounds to my Executor herein after named In Trust for my daughter Elizabeth in Trust that he place out the same att interest in his owne name on government or any other security or continue the same in the manner in the former Legacy mentioned as he shall think proper with the good likeing of the said Elizabeth my said daughter attested under her hand and in writing in the presence of two or more reputable witnesses And that my said Executor from time to time pay the interest and produce thereof into the hands of my said daughter for her sole and separate use independent and nott subject to the Controul of any husband she shall marry for and during the terme of her naturall life and from and after her decease that he pay the interest and produce thereof unto such Child or Children of my said daughter who shall be lieving at her decease in equall proportions until they and each of them shall attain their age of twenty one yeares or be marryed then in Trust to pay the share and proportion of such Child to him her or them respectively as they shall so attaine their respective ages or be marryed
Butt in Case that none of the said Children shall be liveing at the decease of my said daughter then I give devise and bequeath the said principall sume of Two thousand pounds to the Survivors of my Children to be divided between them share and share alike and as to the residue of the said one ffifth after deducting the said two thousand pounds I do hereby devise and bequeath the same to my said daughter Elizabeth Dorrien to be paid her when and so soon as she shall attain her age of Twenty one years or be marryed And in the meantime my Will and desire is that my said Executor herein after named shall pay and allow the interest and produce of her said legacies unto my said daughter Elizabeth and her assigned notwithstanding her nonage(?) until she shall attaine her said full age or be marryed
And then to pay the principall of the surplus as to one other ffifth part of the said residue of my Estate I give devise and bequeath the same unto my Son John Dorrien when and so____ as he shall attaine his age of Twenty one years And place the same out att interest on government or ^any^ other good Security as to my said Executor shall deeme proper or continue the same in mentioned and in the meane time to pay the interest and produce thereof unto my said Son John until he shall so attaine his said age of Twenty one years And in Case either of my said Children Elizabeth or John shall happen to dye before they attaine to their respective ages of twenty one years or the said Elizabeth be marryed then in such case I do hereby give devise and bequeath the part or share of him or her so dying unto the survivor or survivors of my said Children and their Representatives share and share alike
And as to the remaining ffifth part of the residue of my said Estate I hereby give and devise the same unto my Son Liebert Dorrien and his assignes provided nevertheless and my Will and meaning is that in case my said Children Agatha the wife of Charles Halsey and Ann the wife of Abraham Boetefeur Elizabeth Dorrien and John Dorrien shall nott within the space of six months after my decease Signe Seale and Justly ______ unto my said Executor hereinafter named a good and sufficient declaration thereby Testifying their Acquiesance in and approval of and that they will fully and freely conforme to the Declarations and bequests in this my Will or in Case they or either of them shall att any time _____ in Law or equily co_____(?) any Suite against my Executor or dispute the validity of this my Will then and in either of the said cases my will and meaning is and I do hereby declare that the respective legacy or legacies so given to such person who shall so neglect to signe such Declaration or shall co_____(?) such Suite shall ___ __________ and be utterly void and in such Case I doe hereby give devise and bequeath such legacy or legacies to my said Executor and such of my said Children who shall acquiess in this my Will according to the true intent and meaning of this provided anything herein contained to the Contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding
And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Liebert Dorrien my said Son Executor of this my last Will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me att any time heretofore made declaring this to be my last Will and testament and in Testimony thereof have hereunto sett my hand and seal this third day of February Anno Dominus One Thousand seven hundred and thirty two. 1732. Fredr^k. Dorrien Signed Sealed published and declared to be the last Will and Testament of me Frederick Dorrien contained in this six sheets of paper _____ in the procedure of __ who subscribe our names as witnesses hereto John Christopher Winter Edw^d. _____ ____ Hinton. §
This will was proved att London before the Worshipfull Humphry Henchman Doctor of Laws and Surrogate to the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctor also of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the Twenty first day of November in the yeare of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and thirty three By the oath of Liebert Dorrien the son of the said deceased and sole Executor in the said Will named To whome was granted Administration of all and singular the Goods chattels and Creditts of the said deceased haveing first sworn duely to administer the same —§

Accessed at (and purchased pdf copy thereof from): National Archives / Documents Online > “Description Will of Frederick Dorrien, Merchant of London / Date 21 November 1733 / Catalogue reference PROB 11/662 / Dept Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Series Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers Piece Name of Register: Price Quire Numbers: 280 - 325 Image contains 1 will of many for the catalogue reference”